An international youth tiger conservation forum has opened in Vladivostok and will run through November 24.

The event is timed to coincide with the International Tiger Conservation Forum in St Petersburg, which will include delegations and heads of government from the 13 countries that still have tiger populations.

The Vladivostok forum brings together the leaders of youth tiger protection movements from Russia, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

"All forum delegates are called on to accomplish an important objective," said Deputy Primorye Territory Governor Viktor Myasnik at the opening ceremony. "You will draft a youth forum declaration and an action plan to save the tiger population. Your proposals will promote the future development of an international movement to save the tiger. This will form the basis of measures to preserve the tiger population in our countries."

Each country is represented by two delegates. These delegates are students, members of grass-roots movements and public nature-conservation organisations.

After the official opening ceremony, the delegates went to the city's Sports Harbour, where they laid Tiger Path alley, comprising 14 black-and-pink granite slabs lying in staggered rows. Each slab bears a tiger footprint and the name of every 'tiger' country in Russian and English. In addition, the delegates opened a memorial brass-covered slab listing the Tiger Path's founders and its location.

The Vladivostok forum is to pass a declaration on various aspects of preserving the world's tiger population. The declaration will be submitted to the national heads of government by delegates of the International Tiger Conservation Forum during a November 23 Vladivostok - St Petersburg video conference.